IN BRIEF (Page 23)
SOCCER
Ronaldinho, Kaka recalled by Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO: Ronaldinho and Kaka were recalled by Brazil on Tuesday for this month's friendly against Algeria, despite declining to take part in last month's Copa America.
However, coach Dunga said the pair had squandered a chance to add another title to their respective careers after Brazil won the tournament in Venezuela, beating arch-rivals Argentina 3-0 in the final.
"They missed out on winning a title and each player who wins a championship with the Brazil gets more recognition," Dunga said.
"They missed their chance, now we are starting again and it's up to them."
The match on August 22 in Montpellier, France, is the first since the Copa America.
Kaka and Ronaldinho asked to skip the Copa because they said they were tired after a long season in Europe.
Saviola and Rodriguez return for Argentina
BUENOS AIRES: Argentina forward Javier Saviola and midfielder Maximiliano Rodriguez, who both missed the Copa America, were named in the squad on Tuesday for this month's friendly in Norway.
Playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme and defender Gabriel Heinze, whose futures remain uncertain, were left out as was Carlos Tevez, who is set to join English Premier League champions Manchester United after a prolonged transfer saga.
Saviola, who recently joined Real Madrid, missed the Copa America after an unhappy season with Barcelona, where he struggled to get into the team.
Rodriguez also missed the Copa America in Venezuela as he had just returned from a six-month injury layoff.
The match in Oslo will be Argentina's first since their traumatic 3-0 defeat by arch-rivals Brazil in the Copa America final on July 15.
Captain Roberto Ayala, who won a record 115 caps, announced his international retirement after the final.
Athletics
Wariner sets personal best on 400m track
STOCKHOLM: Olympic 400m champion Jeremy Wariner ran a personal best of 43.50 seconds at the DN Gala meeting on Tuesday to equal fellow-American Quincy Watts as the third-fastest man ever.
Only his agent Michael Johnson and Butch Reynolds have run faster while Watts clocked the same time at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Wariner, who defends his world title in Osaka, Japan, this month, told reporters the race was "pretty much perfect".
"I'm happy to get a PR (personal record), and it feels great to go into the world championships half a second faster than all the rest," he said.
On a cloudless, hot day Wariner relegated compatriot Kerron Clement to second place nearly a second behind in 44.48.
Johnson set his world record of 43.18 at the 1999 Seville world championships.
Soccer
Three World Cup hosts allowed to use name changes
JOHANNESBURG: Three World Cup host cities will be allowed to use proposed name changes on official tournament documents and tickets for the 2010 finals, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) said on Tuesday.
Pretoria will now be known as Tshwane, the name of the municipal district containing South Africa's capital, Bloemfontein becomes Manguang and Port Elizabeth will be called Nelson Mandela Bay.
The LOC said it had agreed with the world governing body FIFA that the new names would be used within South Africa. Outside the country, a combination of both the old and new names will be used to avoid confusion.
Golf
Langer withdraws because of mysterious illness
TULSA, Oklahoma: Twice Masters winner Bernhard Langer pulled out of the PGA Championship on Tuesday because of an unspecified illness.
The 49-year-old German, whose best finish in the tournament was a tie for 21st at PGA National in 1987, has been replaced in the field by American Ted Purdy.
The 89th PGA Championship starts on Thursday.
(China Daily 08/09/2007 page23)
